


Our Sweet Hatake

by Hasegawa



Series: Naruto stories [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family of Choice, Fluff, Good Orochimaru (Naruto), accidental adoption, chaotic breakfast, happy Kakashi, hatake collect strays, hatake pack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:07:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25032190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hasegawa/pseuds/Hasegawa
Summary: A snapshot in (upgraded) Hatake pack : set on around 7 months after chapter 14.Sakumo wondered what his life has become -- and loving it.featuring: all the kids and Orochimaru and Kaori.
Relationships: Hatake Sakumo/Original Female Character(s), Namikaze Minato/Uzumaki Kushina
Series: Naruto stories [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1759462
Comments: 76
Kudos: 291





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FunnyFen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FunnyFen/gifts), [Firefly_Aki](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firefly_Aki/gifts), [Dances_With_Vulcans](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dances_With_Vulcans/gifts), [Aikosan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aikosan/gifts), [kaida171](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaida171/gifts), [LittleMiniMe21](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleMiniMe21/gifts), [AINsafira](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AINsafira/gifts), [Liana102](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liana102/gifts), [SarahGri99](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SarahGri99/gifts), [SeleneMoon21](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeleneMoon21/gifts), [firedolphin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/firedolphin/gifts).



> This is a short story for all my dearest readers! I want to thank you all, and my apologies if I missed your name, but you are included too!

It was a nice morning, the birds were chirping outside their windows. Time to start a new day. 

Sakumo stretched languidly on their warm bed before turning and smiled. His wife was still sleeping, body heavy with their newest child. She needed the rest, so he planned to make breakfast for them. His wife has taken a liking to sweet food with her pregnancy, so he planned to make some waffles today. His pup didn’t like sweet things, but he would bear it because he knew his mother craved for sweets….

A loud explosion shattered the nice morning. 

Sakumo groaned. 

“Sa...Sakumo? What’s…?” Kaori groggily asked, awakened by the loud noise. 

“Get back to sleep, love. I’ll handle this.” Sakumo kissed her forehead and pulled the blanket to cover her cheek. She murmured her love for him before falling back to sleep. 

Sakumo sighed and put on his shirt before walking out of their room. 

The kitchen looked like a warzone. Kushina was standing in front of a blackened stove, with Minato standing behind her, hands making the seals for water jutsu. The whole kitchen was wet. Kakashi was standing, head to toe covered with uncooked eggs. Tenzou was clutching his elder brother’s shirt, hands covered in something red which suspiciously smelled like tomato ketchup. Obito was beside Kushina, hands still making the seal for Katon fireball jutsu. Shisui was behind him, mouth still munching on something suspiciously of Kaori’s secret marshmallow stash. 

A typical morning in the Hatake compound, it seemed. 

“...I’ll let you deal with your broods, Hatake.” Orochimaru deadpanned and shunshin-ed, leaving Sakumo as the only adult authority in the room. 

Damn that sneaky Snake! He left Sakumo alone to face the kids!

“It’s not what it looks like…” Kushina grinned as she pulled the burnt pan. “We are making waffles for Kaori-san!” 

“And omelette, Tou-chan.” Kakashi added. 

“I helped.” Tenzou quipped and wiped his hands onto his shirt (“Noooo” Sakumo silently writhed, because it meant more laundry). 

“My katon can cook the waffle quicker!” Obito added with a wide grin, while Shisui (still munching) nodded behind his older brother. 

“We are sorry to wake you up, Sakumo-san. We will clean it up,” Minato, the responsible child, apologised. It seemed he had produced the Suiton jutsu to extinguish the overexcited katon. 

“...It’s alright, Minato-kun.” Sakumo sighed and clapped his hands. “Alright, all the pups under ten years old please go and clean yourself. Minato-kun, can you please help them? Kushina-chan, let’s clean up all this mess.” 

“OK, Tou-chan” “OK, Sakumo-san” Most of them chorused. 

“I am ten!” Shisui chirped when Minato manhandled him, refusing to leave the kitchen. 

“Nope, you’re three!” Kushina added cheerfully while Minato herded the litter to the bathroom. 

Sakumo smiled at them and patted Kushina’s hair. She grinned. 

“Right. Let’s do this with no explosion, can we?”

* * *

Breakfast was finally ready. There were cups of tea, stacks of waffles, toasts and omelets on the table with bottles of syrups and tomato ketchup and chocolate sauce and sweet bean paste. Sakumo was glad Kaori persuaded him to buy another table. There were more people in the Hatake pack now. 

The seatings were as follow: Sakumo on the head of the table, while Kakashi on Sakumo’s right side with Kinoe beside him, Minato sat between Kinoe and Shisui (he was the self-appointed babysitter for the youngest of the litter) while Obito sat beside his brother with Kushina on his other side. 

It was a far cry from two years ago, where it was only Kakashi and him sitting quietly while eating take away food. 

Kaori came out from the bathroom, slowly waddling while keeping her back up. She had back-ache because of the final semester pregnancy, and their child was ready to pop up any time now. Sakumo was torn between happy and worried. Happy because they were having another one, while worried because the last time they had a child (i.e. Kakashi), her health deteriorated afterward and almost died on the table. Even now, she looked tired and pale, even though she had been sleeping and eating more. 

“Morning,” she smiled, and a chorus of greetings came from the table. Sakumo rose and guided her towards the chair on his left, and Kaori squeezed his hand as a thank you. 

“So, who burned the kitchen this time?” she asked, smiling. 

The whole table fell silent. Everybody suddenly busied themselves with their food. 

“Thank you for the breakfast, it looks good,” she added, and the children started to raise their voice, recommending what they did-- Kakashi pushed the omelette while Kinoe added a dash of ketchup on top of the egg; Obito pushed the waffles and gave it a generous touch of syrup, while Shisui added a few marshmallows on top. Sakumo noticed how Kaori twitched when she saw the marshmallow--Sakumo vowed to buy another bag soon. 

His wife thanked all of them and dug in. Sakumo returned to his own meal, watching the chaos in disinterest. 

“I’ll buy you another bag of marshmallow, Kaori.” he whispered. “Don’t fret.”

Kaori turned to him and blushed. “...Thank you, Hubby. You are the best.” 

“Next time you adopt, please consult me first.” Sakumo huffed, “I need to better fireproof the kitchen and increase our food budget.”

“Oh don’t you worry, dear.” Kaori smiled serenely, “I can budget properly. The boarding house is doing really well this season and I am planning to publish a new book very soon.” 

Sakumo huffed and returned to his omelette. Minato, the model child, was the second addition after Kinoe. He was suddenly there when Sakumo returned home after the weird mission. He was a bright, respectful genius; a good role model for all the others--well, if they wanted. But they mostly looked toward Kushina for guidance, much to Sakumo’s sorrow. 

Kushina came next -- Minato brought her one day, and Kaori adopted her after the second visit. She was living alone too, with no clan to fall back, which was why Sakumo didn’t think twice before accepting his wife’s sudden adoption like always. But since she came, the compound saw more explosions and incidental burning; but luckily the young woman was very adept on fuuinjutsu. She put some seals around the compound to minimise explosion damages and also added better security for the compound. 

Kami knows how much Sakumo loved Kushina for it--Kaori’s tendencies to challenge authoritative figures with their own shinobi armies was bad for Sakumo’s blood pressure. 

Kakashi brought Obito next--it seemed he followed his mother’s tendency to adopt strays--because Obito’s grandmother had passed away and the poor kid didn’t know what to do. Kaori, being Kaori, immediately adopted him into the litter, fought the Uchiha Clan Head for it, and succeeded somehow. Obito became Sakumo’s next child. 

Huh. Maybe Sakumo needed to start numbering his children. There were too many now and he might lose them if they all ran amok in the village.

And Shisui came because Obito was there--Sakumo returned from a short mission after Obito’s adoption, and found another Uchiha baby on the floor, playing (luckily rubber) kunai with Kinoe. Kaori looked at him sheepishly (surprise! Another one!) while keeping her prominent baby bump between her and Sakumo, so Sakumo wouldn’t get angry at her (not that he could anyway). The little hellion was cute, except for the fact that he liked to ransack the fridge. He also knew everyone’s secret snack stashes--which irked Kaori because of the similarity between her cravings and Shisui’s love for sugar. 

Orochimaru, that damn snake, returned from wherever he went and joined the table. 

“Kaori-san, I brought you some more marshmallows.” he smiled. “And dango for everyone.”

The whole table (sans Minato, because he was the responsible one) cheered. Meanwhile, Sakumo bristled. Orochimaru always one upped him! He had planned to be Kaori’s hero by buying her new supply of marshmallow, but Orochimaru beat him to it. And the damn snake added more sugar to the kids’ meal. They would be hell to take care for the rest of the day! 

Sakumo already noticed how Obito and Kakashi’s eyes were filled with glee and energy from all the sugar. Kinoe and Shisui were fighting over green dango, and Minato tried to separate them with no avail. Kushina asked Kaori for permission to buy Ichiraku ramen for everyone, which Kaori quickly agreed to. Sakumo pouted. They had been eating ramen (although it was delicious) for four lunches a week! He wanted fish, damn it!

Sakumo pouted further when he saw Kaori kiss Orochimaru’s cheek for reward. She winked at him before letting Orochimaru sit next to her. 

“Don’t pout, husband. I’ll make you some grilled fish for dinner.” she whispered. Sakumo accepted his wife’s peace offering in grace after five minutes of additional pouting. 

The table was fully filled and the pack was complete. 

Sakumo wondered when that happened, why the Hatake compound suddenly became so full and loud. Yet he wouldn’t exchange them for anything else. 

This was his pack and he loved them all. 


	2. Canon! Naruto

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For @ FunnyFen for her drabbles. This will be first of many chapters from her prompts. Amazing! 
> 
> Canon!Naruto woke up in this AU. Kaori adopts every lost kid who came near and didn't run fast enough.

Naruto sniffed and wiped his tears. He didn’t know why people hated him. He just wanted to buy those apples. Instead they screamed at him, called him monster, and threw stones at him. Said that he was not entitled to any food. He should just go and die. 

It hurt. 

The little four years old hid behind the garbage dump on the small alleys, wishing to disappear. 

* * *

When he woke up, the sky was already orange. 

Naruto’s stomach growled with hunger. He checked his pocket and the 100 ryo coin was still there. He wished he could get one apple, just one was enough. He wiped his face with his hands and jumped. 

_ Alright! A hero never gave up!  _

He rushed out from the alley, to find that the road was… kind of different. There were fewer vendors, and the buildings were kind of older. There were fewer people as well. The vendors were not the same. Did they change while he was asleep? And the apple seller was gone!

Should he just buy ramen? But 100 ryo was not enough for a bowl…

Without realising it, Naruto walked towards the usual park. There were children playing, and some parents sitting on the side. Naruto watched as the children, whom he didn’t know--there were none of the usual children (who usually rejected playing with him). They were all different. And they were playing ninja. 

Naruto wanted to join them, so he shouted at them. 

They stopped playing between them, looked at him, and then shrugged. The next moment Naruto became “It” and he chased the others around. 

Wow. 

That was the first time he managed to play with other children without them calling him monster. Naruto lost in the end, one of the other children was too good at hiding. But he was fine with it. He had so much fun! 

His stomach grumbled in hunger. Naruto realised he hadn't eaten at all. 

One of the boys tilted his head. He has brown,thick hair and big eyes that never blinked. 

“You hungry?” he asked. Naruto nodded. The boy took his hand and they went to the bench, where a pretty, blue haired woman was sitting. She was carrying a baby strapped on her chest. Another boy followed them. 

“Kaa-chan! Snacks!” the boy demanded. Naruto stopped himself from coming too near. He knew that adults usually turned nasty after they saw Naruto playing with their children. 

“Tenzou, Shisui, who is this?” The lady smiled, before staring at him. “...Naruto?” 

“Ye..yeah?” Naruto timidly answered. “I am Uzumaki Naruto and I will be Hokage, dattebayo!” 

“He is hungry, Kaa-chan.” the boy--Tenzou--shrugged. “Can we have snacks?” 

“Alright, thank you for sharing with your friends, Tenzou.” The lady smiled. ‘But…”

There. Naruto winced. She would shoo Naruto. Because adults hated him. 

“...Wash your hand first, will you? And take Naruto with you.”

“Alright, Kaa-chan.” both Shisui and Tenzou nodded, before taking Naruto’s hand. “We shall wash our hands.” 

Naruto blinked in wonder. He let himself be dragged towards the fountain by the two boys, then washed his hands like Tenzou did and drank a bit of water. When they were done, they returned to the lady, who gave them each a single wood toothpick. She has a box filled with rabbit-apple slices and oranges. Tenzou immediately stabbed one apple and munched on it. Shuisui pouted, and asked if he could have a dango instead. Their mother shook her head. 

“No, Shisui. No more sweet until dinner. Otherwise you’ll be too full. How about this orange, it’s sweet.”

Shisui, the boy with dark curly hair, pouted but accepted the orange and munched on it. Naruto didn’t know whether he was allowed, but the lady took his toothpick and gave him a slice too. 

“Eat, Naruto-chan. You must be hungry.” 

“...Un!” Naruto nodded and ate the slice. It was so sweet and crunchy and nice and delicious. Naruto felt warmth filling his chest and swallowed it quickly. 

“Please chew properly, child. You don’t want to get choked, do you? Come, sit beside me.” 

Naruto nodded and took the seat on her other side, keeping distance yet still trying to get close. Not everyday he got to sit with someone. But he wasn’t sure whether he could get another slice. The lady just watched him and gave him another one. And another. And another one. Between Naruto, Shisui and Tenzou, the apples and oranges quickly dwindled to nothing. 

“Alright.” the lady smiled. “It’s time to go home, then.” 

Naruto frowned. They were leaving. He would be alone again. Of course. But maybe he could meet them tomorrow, again? 

“Naruto-chan, do you want to come for dinner?” the lady asked.   


Naruto almost cried from happiness. “Yes, Dattebayo!” 

* * *

It was the best meal he ever had. 

Tenzou taught him how to make meatballs, while Shisui already quickly made some. The lady (call me Kaori-baa san) told him to take a bath with Tenzou and Naruto could borrow Tenzou’s clothes. Tenzou was a quiet boy, but with Shisui’s exuberant coaxing, they ended up playing in the bathtub with Tenzou’s wooden ducklings. The whole bathroom was flooded. It was how Tenzou’s big brothers, Kakashi and Obito, found them.

“Welcome back, nii chan!” Tenzou chirped. Shisui parroted Tenzou and grabbed his dark-haired older brother with wet hands, which made Obito flailed. 

Kakazi shrugged. “We are back.” he drawled lazily. “Who is this, Tenzou?” 

“Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo!” Naruto grinned, splashing more water. But Tenzou’s older brother just stepped aside and avoided the splash, so cool! Like a ninja! 

“Kids! Please clean up quickly, dinner’s almost ready!” Kaori-baa san called from the kitchen. 

Tenzou and Shisui quickly cleaned up and Naruto followed their example. Tenzou let Naruto use his orange T-shirt and brown pants. They ran out of the room and Tenzou directed Naruto to help setting the table. 

It was a novel experience for Naruto. They were eating together, seven of them. The food was good--especially the meatballs he helped make. Kaori-baa san kept giving Naruto more food, telling him how thin he was, in between feeding the little baby on her bosoms. Shisui tried to give the vegetables to Obito’s plate or Tenzou’s, which earned him a stern look from their mother. Tenzou also asked Naruto where he lived and would he join them again in the park tomorrow.

Throughout dinner, Kakashi kept staring at him. 

“Kaa-chan,” 

“Yes, Kakashi?”

“He has the same name as Naruto in your story.” 

Kaori-baa san looked amused. “Yes, he is, isn’t he?”

“Does that mean he can be my student?” 

Kaori-baa san chuckled. Naruto watched them with interest and confusion. What did it mean? 

“He also smelled like a fox, like Kushina-nee.” 

Kaori just smiled mysteriously at her son and patted his hair, without answering him. Their dinner continued, and Naruto felt a bit awkward. He wasn’t sure what was happening. 

“Naruto, do you want some more?” Kaori-baa san suddenly asked. “We will be having pudding for dessert, too. Would you like to have some?”

“Pudding!” Shisui squealed happily. “Can I have Obito-nii’s portion too, Kaa-chan?” 

“Shisui…” Kaori-baa san sighed. “What did I tell you?”

“...Not to take other people’s food without their permission…?” Shisui pouted and looked down. 

Kaori-baa san smiled. “Good that you remember. So, do you think you can have Obito’s pudding?”

Shisui turned to Obito, which made the dark haired older boy cringed. “No.” 

“Please, Obito-niii….!”

“No! I gave you my cake yesterday. I want pudding too!” 

“Alright, alright, _ boys _ .” Kaori-baa san sighed. “Shisui, you will eat your pudding and your pudding only tonight. You eat too many sweets as it is.”

“But Kaa-chan...!”

“Tell you what, if you are good tomorrow, I will get you some dango tomorrow.” 

“Alright.” Shisui pouted, but he winked at Naruto. Naruto flushed, because he didn’t know what that meant. Obito muttered something like ‘little devil’ under his breath. Shisui continued to eat his food, while Tenzou took another helping of vegetables. 

After dinner, the kids (including Naruto) washed the dishes. They divided their tasks like it was the usual, and Naruto followed them by imitating Shisui’s wiping the clean dishes dry. When they returned to the living room, Kaori-baa san gave the baby to Kakashi to cuddle, then turned to Naruto. 

She gently asked where Naruto lived, and where he came from. Naruto didn’t like the questioning, because adults always found him guilty even though he did nothing. Yet Kaori-baa san seemed to understand that, and she didn’t ask about whether he was wrong, but just how he got there. So Naruto just told her about falling asleep in a small alley before waking up and found the world has changed with new people and new shops and new vendors and new kids and Tenzou and Shisui and dinner. 

She gently smiled and patted his head. Naruto blushed, because before that only Jiji ever patted his head. 

“It’s already late, Naruto-kun. Will you stay? You can sleep here tonight.” 

“Ca...Can I, dattebayo?” Naruto stuttered, because it would be his first ever sleeping in another place, his friends’ house! 

“Yes of course.” Kaori-baa san smiled. “Is it alright, Tenzou, if Naruto shares with you? If you don’t want to share, I can make room in the boarding house. I think one of the rooms is currently empty so Naruto can use it…”

“He can share with me, Kaa-chan.” Tenzou shrugged. “I don’t mind.” 

And so, Naruto had the best night in his life. Kakashi told him to call him sensei, but he was not a sensei, was he? Obito laughed at Kakashi when Naruto challenged him why, and Kakashi started to tell him about a story about an orphan named Naruto that became a hero. By the end of the story, Naruto was starry-eyed. The story was about an orphan named Naruto, exactly just like him! And he became a hero who saved everyone and had the best team ever! Naruto loved it very much, and decided he would call Kakashi his sensei. 

Obito pouted and asked Naruto to call him Obito-sensei too, but Shisui chirped, “Obito-nii is Obito-nii!” and so Naruto followed Shisui and called Obito-nii instead. Naruto couldn’t see Kakashi’s face behind the weird mask, but he seemed to be laughing at Obito. They sat around the sitting table, and while Kakashi and Obito did their homeworks; the little ones worked on practicing writing hiragana. Naruto was glad when Kaori-baa san also gave him some practice papers, and followed Tenzou’s instruction. Kakashi intermittently checked on their works (and checked on Obito’s, much to the chagrin of the black haired older boy). Meanwhile, Kaori-baa san prepared the baby for sleep before returning to the table and starting to write on papers. 

It felt good. Naruto didn’t mind they were studying, because they did it together. No one told him he was a monster or stupid. Kaori-baa san also showed him slowly how to write each word, and how to read them. She didn’t hit Naruto everytime Naruto made a mistake. She even gave them each hot milk before telling them to sleep. It made Naruto’s chest filled with warmth and  _ want _ . Obito and Shisui actually went out to the next building, while Kakashi-sensei went to his room. Tenzou pulled Naruto with him and they prepared Naruto’s futon with Kaori-baa san’s help. She gave them both a good night kiss before closing the door behind her. 

It was Naruto’s first good night kiss. That day proved to be a lot of happy firsts, making Naruto’s eyes watered. 

But the hero never cried, so Naruto didn’t. 

Naruto slept on the futon next to Tenzou’s bed, and they chatted about everything like ramen, plants and ninja. Naruto was so happy he almost couldn’t sleep. 

“Nee, Tenzou, you have a lot of siblings, dattebayo!”

“Yes, Kaa-chan adopts everyone that comes too near and doesn’t run away fast enough.” Tenzou grinned, like sharing a family’s joke.

“Adopts…?” Naruto’s heart started to thump faster. “Who..?”

“Only Kakashi-nii and Tamago-chan are Hatakes. My father is Oro-tou chan. Obito and Shisui are Uchiha. Kaa-chan took them in after their grandmother died.” 

Naruto wanted to be adopted. Could he…? 

“How about you, Naruto? How many siblings do you have?” 

Naruto grimaced. “...I am an orphan, dattebayo. I live alone.” 

Tenzou frowned. “Eh. probably I can ask Kaa-chan to adopt you too.” 

“Eh? Really, dattebayo?” 

“If you want.” Tenzou smiled. His big eyes looked sincere. “Kaa-chan would persuade Kumo tou-chan and Oro-tou chan, so it should be okay.” 

“...yes please.” Naruto whispered. “I’d like that very much, dattebayo.” 

* * *

**Additional scene:**

“A new brother? So cute, dattebane!” Kushina squealed when she saw Naruto hiding behind Kakashi. “We are home, Kaori-san!” 

The mother of … Two? Five? Seven? Smiled back. “Welcome back, Kushina-chan, Minato-kun! Ah, I see that you have met Naruto.” 

“Is he one of us now?” Minato smiled. 

“Yes, he is.” Kaori smiled and kissed his and Kushina’s cheek. “His name is Uzumaki Naruto.”

“Uzumaki!?” Kushina turned quickly and stared at the little blond boy. “... He looks like Minato, dattebane.” 

Kaori smiled. “Maybe he is your child with Minato…?” 

Kushina turned red. “Kaori-san!!!” while Minato spluttered and blushed too. 

“Who are you, dattebayo!?” Naruto asked. 

“Oh, he is so cute!” Kushina giggled and pinched Naruto’s cheek. “Hi! I am Uzumaki Kushina, and that is Namikaze Minato, dattebane!” 

“Uzumaki…?”

“Yes! We are family!” Kushina hugged the little blond boy. Naruto looked like he wanted to cry. And he did. Kushina ended up having a little boy hanging on her arms for the rest of the day. Minato surprisingly found Naruto kind of familiar, but he couldn’t tell why. He turned to Kaori, who smiled knowingly while rocking fussy Tamago-chan. 

“... Who is Naruto, Kaori-san?” he asked. 

Kaori just smiled mysteriously at him. “He would be what you want him to be, Minato-kun. He is one of us.” 

Minato took her cryptic words to heart, and decided to ponder it later. Not so much later, because the week after, Kushina found out about the jinchuuriki seal on Naruto’s stomach. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you @FunnyFen! 
> 
> Please look forward to other chapters based on her prompts! 
> 
> (Next: Canon!team Seven come to this AU)   
> (Next: Anko, Gai and Kabuto saga)  
> (Next: Obito and kitten summon)  
> (Next: Jiraiya finding love in a not-so hopeless place)   
> (Next: Tenzou bringing his partner to meet the (crazy) family)  
> (Next: Minato and Kushina's wedding)   
> (Next: Grandpa!Danzo) 
> 
> and probably more. Share your prompts, I will see it delivered. (up until I get my next job).


	3. AU : When Canon cross part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> part 1 of 2 : Kakashi and team meet the My Sweet Hatake AU where Kaori was alive, Sakumo never committed suicide and Hatake Clan was full to the brim (but always ready to adopt new comers).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 of 2 
> 
> introducing:   
> \- Kakashi's mental health   
> \- Kaori and Little Kakashi's tendency to drop information bombs inappropriately   
> \- Naruto gets a glimpse of happiness.

“Wow, this looks like a haunted compound!” Naruto shouted and jumped straight into the weathered house. The compound looked gloomy. The garden was unkempt and grown wild. The house was in dire need of major renovation. Several windows were off their hinges, while the roofs were dropping down with dried weeds and broken tile pieces. The house structure was still strong, however the wooden poles were withered by time and blackened by weather. It was clear the compound has not been occupied or renovated for several years. 

“So our D-rank today is to clean up this compound.” Sakura noted, as she read from the scroll. “It includes the whole house and compound. We have three days to do it.”

“Alright! Let’s start!” Naruto grinned. 

Sakura sighed and followed her teammate. Sasuke walked behind them, while their teacher stood silently by the entrance, reluctant to get in. 

“Kakashi-sensei?” Sakura turned and asked, wondering why their sensei looked so reluctant to walk in. The white haired jounin was paler than usual, standing like a statue without his loyal icha-icha companion in sight. 

“Nee, nee, can we just explode the garden? Since it’ll be faster than cleaning it up by hand.”

“Naruto!!” Sakura forbid, “No exploding tags!” 

“...Too late, hn.” Sasuke groaned, as Naruto already placed an exploding tag and poured his chakra into it. 

While the explosion was expected, the feeling of sudden cold and suction wasn’t. 

* * *

Sakura opened her eyes and groaned. 

The sky looked so blue, with the summer heat burning her skin. She groaned again, remembering the last thing she remembered was the explosion from Naruto’s tag. She was cold and felt as if she was weirdly pressured into a small tube before popping out again. 

“...Are you alright?” A voice called her, so she turned to see a beautiful woman with red, long hair, asked her in concern. Sakura blinked twice before nodding. 

“I am fine, thank you.” She tried to sit up, and looked around. She recognised the area as the compound they were supposed to clean, however it was very different. Even though the fences and the house and the tree were the same, there was no unkempt garden growth or weathered house. The house looked well maintained and the grass well cut. The garden was actually filled with flowers and herbs. There was also another building nearby, which was three storey high and definitely wasn’t there the minute before the explosion. 

She looked around and saw her teammates and teacher were on the grass as well, in varying degrees of wakefulness. Naruto was groaning while Sasuke was still passed out on the grass. Meanwhile, her teacher was already up and watched their surroundings with frightening intensity. 

“...Minato-sensei? Kushina-nee?” 

“Eh?” The red haired woman asked back. “How do you know my name?” 

“...Kakashi-kun?” another voice called out. Sakura turned to see a familiar yellow hair with a pretty face, standing near them with a bewildered expression. She knew that face from the painting and the cliff. It was Yondaime-sama. Namikaze Minato-sama. 

“Yondaime-sama?” Sakura called out. 

The man turned to her and blushed. He grimaced. “Ahaha… not me, I guess? Yondaime-sama is Danzo-sama.” 

“WHAT.” Kakashi-senesi’s voice sounded like a gunshot. 

“Yes? I am not the Hokage, Kakashi-kun…?” Namikaze-sama grimaced. “... I am guessing either you come from the future, or you come from another universe.” 

“I heard some explosion, is everything alright?” Another voice called out, and a pretty dark-haired lady with a baby on her chest came out from the house. Two boys walked beside her, clutching to her skirt. One boy was brown haired with big, huge owly eyes while the other looked like an Uchiha. 

“Kaori-san!” Namikaze-sama called out. “We are sorry for the ruckus. We were just trying the new time-hiraishin seal. Apparently we have some… guests.” 

The lady blinked and walked closer, before noticing her. “...Sakura? Haruno Sakura-san?”

“Eh?” She knew Sakura’s name? “I am, yes, how do you know…?”

The lady smiled. “‘Ah, my name is Hatake Kaori, nice to meet you.” 

Sakura heard Kakashi-sensei’s loud wheeze. The sound made Sakura and the lady turned around to face Kakashi-sensei. Wait, did the lady just call herself a Hatake…?

“Kakashi?” the lady gasped, calling Sakura’s sensei’s name. “Oh,  _ pup _ .” 

Sakura watched in awe as the lady came hurriedly towards Kakashi-sensei and opened her arms for a hug. But her teacher was quicker and shunshin-ed back, far from her reach. Hatake-san almost fell, but Namikaze-sama held her before she fell down. The baby on her bosom cried because of the displacement, and she quickly patted her baby down. 

“Thank you, Minato-kun.” she laughed sheepishly. “I forget how the older Kakashi doesn’t know me.” 

“...Who…?” Kakashi-sensei, still pale, sounded broken. His body was shaking. Sakura didn’t know what to think, because her sensei was the epitome of coolness and laid back. It was the first time she saw him this shaken. 

“Kakashi-san.” the lady called and smiled. “I am your mother.” 

“EEEE!?” Naruto’s scream ruined the moment. Sakura whized her fist, ready to punch the loud blonde. “Kakashi-sensei has a MOTHER?”

“Damn it, Dobe!” Sasuke groaned as he scratched the back of his head. “What did you do…?”

“... Do you know them, Kaori-san?” Namikaze-sama spoke. “Are they from the future?”

Hatake-san smiled and turned to the not-Yondaime. “I think they are more from another universe, Minato-kun. What kind of seal were you doing, hmm, Kushina-chan? Is it hiraishin, by any chance?”

Namikaze-sama and Kushina-san looked chastised and grimaced.

“Alright.” Hatake-san sighed. “Let’s bring our guests in. I just finished baking a carrot cake. We can enjoy them while settling things down. Right, please follow me, everyone!” 

* * *

“Sakura-san.” Hatake-san called out to her with her easy smile. She looked familiar. Sakura could see several similarities of her with Kakashi-sensei. Maybe this was how Kakashi-sensei looked behind the mask? “Will you kindly introduce yourself and your team for us?” 

“A..Alright. Nice to meet you. My name is Haruno Sakura, and this is Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto, my teammates. That is Kakashi-sensei, our Jounin sensei.” 

Hatake-san smiled. “Thank you, dear child. Let me introduce myself again. I am Hatake Kaori, the Hatake-matriarch. This is Namikaze Minato, Uzumaki Kushina…”

“Uzumaki?” Naruto shouted. “Like me, dattebayo?” 

Kushina-san looked interested as well. “I never know Uzumaki with blonde hair, but you do seem like an Uzumaki, dattebane!” 

Sakura wanted to hit Naruto for cutting Hatake-san’s introduction, but the lady just laughed. “Alright, Kushina-chan, Naruto-kun. You both are Uzumaki.” 

While the two loudest people in the room were trying to connect, Sakura noticed Namikaze-sama turned to Hatake-san. “... Are they the same with your book, Kaori-san?” 

Hatake-san gave him a small wink, and Sakura was sure she was Kakashi-sensei’s mother. her wink was just similar with Kakashi-sensei’s cheerful smile before torturing his team. 

“Kaa-chan.” The boy with big eyes walked with his plate and flopped beside his mother. “I want more cake, please.” 

“Of course, dearest.” she smiled and gave him half of her own. Sakura noted how just like her mother Hatake-san was. 

“Me too!” The Uchiha-like boy followed, pushing his plate onto her. She laughed and gave her other half to his plate, but Namikaze-sama was quicker and pushed his own half piece of cake onto the boy’s plate.

“You can have mine, Shisui-kun!” 

“Thank you, Minato-kun.” Hatake-san smiled at him, making the not-Yondaime blushed and smiled back. Then, to the two boys, she asked sternly. “Now, what should you say?”

The boys looked at her and nodded. “Thank you, Kaa-chan!””Thank you Mi-kun!” 

“...Kaa-san?” Kakashi-sensei's voice called out. Sakura noted how her sensei, who took the seat furthest away from Hatake-san, looked unbelievingly at them. “Are they…?”

“Come and meet your siblings, Kakashi.” Hatake-san smiled, this time warmer. “This is Kinoe and Shisui, and this is Tamago-chan, your littlest sister.” 

Sakura observed the baby closer. She looked like her mother, while having tuff of thick silver hair just like Kakashi-sensei. Her eyes were golden, and she was gurgling happily. 

“How are you, Kakashi?” Hatake-san asked again. “You… don’t seem to eat enough.” 

Sakura couldn’t stay quiet anymore. “Excuse me, but I need to ask. Are you Kakashi-sensei’s mother?”

“Ah, yes I am.” She smiled. “This is Kinoe-kun, but you can also call him Tenzou. And this is Uchiha Shisui. Say hi, please, baby?”

“Hi!” the Uchiha boy chirped. “I am Shisui and I am ten!” 

Oh,  _ super _ adorable. Sakura squeed before realising something. Uchiha was massacred with only Sasuke and his brother left. Why is there an Uchiha here? 

“Hi.” the other boy spoke out shyly, unaware of Sakura’s internal realisation. “I am Tenzou.” 

And he was adorable as well. Sakura grinned. “Nice to meet you both! I am Sakura!”

“...Shisui?” Sasuke asked from her side, with an unbelieving voice. “Shisui-kun?”

“Yes!” the boy nodded. “Who are you?”

“...Sasuke. I am Sasuke, Shisui-kun.” 

“... Team Kakashi. Meet me outside.” Kakashi-sensei suddenly called for them, and the three of them--Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto--turned and nodded. Sakura smiled apologetically before leaving the room, while Sasuke just nodded and Naruto waved goodbye. 

* * *

“We need to find how to return.” Kakashi-sensei said, when they reached him. He looked like he was in the middle of a nightmare. “Naruto, tell me in detail what you did.” 

“I don’t know, dattebayo! It was just an exploding tag I got from Iruka-sensei!” he rubbed his hair. He looked frustrated. “It is my last tag as well.”

Sakura hit her teammate’s head. 

“OW! That hurts a lot, Sakura-chan.” he grimaced. “... I know I am wrong, Sorry. But… can’t we stay, for a while? I mean… we don’t know how to return anyway…”

The three of them looked at each other before turning to Kakashi-sensei. Sakura was fine with it, but she could guess it was hard for her other companions. Kakashi-sensei looked very uncomfortable with this, while Sasuke looked lost, watching Shisui-kun. Naruto was very happy talking with another Uzumaki. He must be very happy to be able to talk to another Uzumaki. 

Their thoughts were cut off. “Kakashi-kun. Team.” Namikaze-sama walked towards them. “Can we talk?” 

“Yes, Minato-sensei.” Kakashi-sensei held himself up, as if he was facing his Hokage. Which, for them, Namikaze-sama,  _ was _ . 

“To start, I am Namikaze Minato, jounin of Konohagakure. I think you came here because of my faulty experiment on time-space seal, and for that I apologise. Kushina and I will try to return you as soon as possible. However, by nature, this seal is not something to be played with, so I cannot promise you how long it will take. In the meantime, I am offering all of you to stay here, in the Hatake-boarding house. Kaori-san already gave me the green light for three rooms for all of you. We also need to inform Hokage-sama of this situation, so would you be amenable to come with me now?” 

* * *

It was Kakashi’s worst nightmare since the start. 

The cleaning mission was bad. Iruka was the one filing the mission because Kakashi lost a bet with Gai. In the aftermath of a drunken jankenpon, Kakashi agreed to face his trauma and opened up the Hatake compound again, so that he could lose the ghosts in the past and face the future, aptly said by Gai. Iruka was the one keeping the bets, and since Kakashi lost, the mission was filed. And Iruka has the gall to give it to his team too. 

He almost couldn’t walk into the compound--it looked like a ghost part of the city and it was, for Kakashi. His father’s death was so far ago, but Kakashi was still afraid that when he opened that room, his father’s blood would seep into his feet and drown Kakashi. Added with guilt about abandoning his own father in his time of need, Kakashi believed the compound was cursed. It was worse than visiting a graveyard in the middle of the night. 

Then Naruto, being Naruto, just had the stupidest and reckless idea. Before Kakashi could even prevent the boy’s chakra, it already exploded. It sucked him and everything was cold. When he opened his eyes, Kakashi immediately scanned his surroundings. It felt like waking up in another nightmare, this time disguised as a candyland.

Minato-sensei and Kushina-nee chan were there, asking them whether they were alright. Kakashi could see the remnants of a seal experiment went wrong, so he could guess what happened. The thing was, why did they do the experiment in the familiar setting of his Hatake garden? 

Then a woman came out with three kids with her. One look at her and Kakashi knew who she was. She looked the same with the only picture left of her. Kakashi’s father didn’t keep a lot of her photos or things, but they had a photo of her smiling and crying with baby Kakashi beside her. Kakashi kept that photo under his will, hidden under the bed in his apartment. 

His mother looked at Sakura and recognised her. It was a red flag for Kakashi, especially when she turned and saw him. She opened her arms and ready to hug him. Kakashi was a coward. Of course he ran. His mother almost fell, but luckily Minato-sensei was quick to help her. 

Her voice, her attitude, her smile, her scent. 

Kakashi wanted to cry. What kind of hell the universe was sending him into? 

It has been years since he was taunted by family. Every family member he had died. His mother, father, Obito, Rin, Minato-sensei and Kushina nee. Everyone died. Everyone left. He killed everyone. He killed his mother with his birth, he killed his father with his distrust of him. He killed Obito with his arrogance, he killed Rin with his desperation. He killed Minato-sensei and Kushina-nee with his incompetence. Kakashi, the friend killer. Kakashi, the family killer. 

He listened through his mother’s introduction with half an ear, while watching Kushina-nee connected with Naruto. They looked happy, connected immediately because it was how it should be. They were mother and son, separated by Kakashi’s incompetence. Kakashi didn’t even want to start his guilt because he couldn’t take care of Naruto like how Minato-sensei would like him to be. 

Then his mother asked how he was, and he should eat more. It was cruel, cruel, cruel. 

Kakashi wanted to scream and explode. Kakashi also wanted to open his sharingan and recorded his mother’s smile, voice and concern. He has little memento of her, every little thing counts. 

And apparently he has siblings. Kinoe (Kakashi was sure he wasn’t a Hatake, but he wouldn’t be sad if it was true), Uchiha Shisui (surely the Uchiha name meant he wasn’t a Hatake, and judging from Sasuke’s reaction, the last Uchiha knew that little boy) and ...Tamago, his little sister. She must be a Hatake, with that silver hair and his mother’s eyes. 

Was this how it should be if Kakashi didn’t kill his own mother with his birth? 

_ “... Team Kakashi. Meet me outside.” _

He ran away, of course. 

He tried to be the voice of reason. But watching Naruto’s longing, Sasuke’s shock and Sakura’s interest, he knew they would stay there for the meantime. Minato-sensei just confirmed it with them. And now, he stood in front of the Hokage’s desk, with the worst Hokage could ever be: Shimura Danzo. This man managed to be the Hokage in this … alternate universe. Kakashi wondered what other differences between this universe and his. He still remembered how Danzo approached him to kill Sandaime-sama, a few years ago. 

The funny thing was, his mother came with them. She stood beside them, and Danzo actually  _ listened _ to her. Minato-sensei has already explained about how the experiment went awry. Kakashi expected Danzo to explode or punish him immediately, but all he did was sigh. And then Kakashi’s mother narrated what happened after, and told the Hokage that she knew them. And Danzo  _ listened  _ to her. 

The Hokage actually told Minato-sensei and Kakashi’s mother to settle this on their own. In the meantime, Kakashi and his team would stay in the Hatake Compound. Kakashi shivered when he heard that, feeling dread filling his body because he would be spending time in his personal haunted house. 

His mother smiled and thanked the Hokage, before telling him something about Tamago-chan. Danzo actually smiled and waved them to go out from his Hokage room. It was very bizarre. 

She then ushered the four of them back to the compound and introduced them to the boarding house. Kakashi got a room with Minato-sensei’s, while Sakura has hers with Kushina-nee. Naruto and Sasuke shared a room. 

Then Kakashi met his other nightmare. The mini him dragged a little Obito into the house, asking for snacks. Kakashi couldn’t help but stare. Little Obito looked healthy and smiling, like he was never crushed under the rocks. His smile was carefree and not teary. This little Obito was alive, not dead in the middle of a cave somewhere in Wave. Kakashi’s Sharingan itched like it wanted to return to its rightful owner. 

Kakashi looked away. 

And he saw his mother’s gaze at him. 

It felt like one punch after another, nightmare coming with no end in sight. Ghost of his past failure haunting him, one by one. 

* * *

Naruto knew he messed up. 

He shouldn’t have used that exploding tag. But it was Iruka-sensei’s, and usually the tag was just that-- a tag. It is supposed to explode, not throwing them into another universe. 

He knew his teacher and teammates blamed him for it. Naruto was used to it, being the one who screwed up. Nobody liked him much, anyway. 

But talking with this… Kushina-nee made him happy. She was very animated and excited to meet him. She even asked him a lot of stuff, seemingly interested in all the nonsense Naruto spilled. She was very pretty and her red hair was very pretty too and her smile was pretty too. 

Namikaze Minato--Naruto knew the not-Yondaime, of course since Naruto learned it in history as well as always perching on his hair every time he sat on the cliff, watching the sunset, wondering why he was so unloved--was another nice one. He was kind and very interested in Naruto, with patience and laughs that soothed Naruto and Kushina-nee. His eyes were blue, just like Naruto’s. They were pretty, unlike Naruto’s. 

And Minato-san stood beside Naruto throughout reporting for the Hokage. His hand was on naruto’s shoulder like a comfortable support. Warm. People didn’t usually touch Naruto for support. Minato-san was different. And Naruto liked it. 

Here, Naruto was not alone. He was not hated. No one looked at him and saw a monster. Here, Kakashi sensei and Sakura and Sasuke teme were on the same boat with him. They were together. Naruto was not alone.

He selfishly, secretly wished that it would take them a long time to go back to their universe. 

* * *

Sakumo came back home to find that his pack has four additional members. 

Kaori welcomed him by the door, but her smile was a bit sad. She hugged him before kissing his cheek. 

“Is there something wrong?” he asked, ready to help. 

“We have… guests. From another universe.”

“Oh.” It was a testament to how he was used to Kaori’s general information bomb that he didn’t react much. 

“They are… Kakashi and his team. The older Kakashi from the future I told you about. He has lost me, you from… suicide, his friends, his teacher, and his eye. He is here with his genin team. It’s going to be hard, Hubby. But I want to help our baby.” 

Sakumo closed his eyes and fiddled with the shame in his chest. He knew that if Kaori wasn’t there, he might have committed suicide and left his pup all alone. It was a regret he could never get over with. He pulled his wife tighter onto his chest. 

“Alright,” He whispered to his wife. “We can do this.” 

He entered the room to find the usual mess--Minato and Kushina were laughing while listening to a blond whisker boy; Obito, Kinoe and Shisui were talking animatedly at a young Uchiha; Tamago-chan splashing her food and enjoying the general chaos; Kakashi listening to the general conversation while watching a stiff, silent silver haired-masked man whom Sakumo knew must be older Kakashi. 

The man turned to him and Sakumo smiled wryly. 

“I am back.” Sakumo called, and immediately a lot of voices chirped, welcoming him back. 

After cleaning himself, Sakumo sat on his chair and ate what Kaori had prepared for them--grilled fish and eggplant miso soup, Kakashi’s favourite. He tried to engage older Kakashi with a small talk, but from the look of it, every word Sakumo said seemed to make him flinch. 

“Kaa-chan,” Kakashi asked Kaori, “Who are they?”

Kaori smiled and patted their son’s hair. “Remember Kaa-chan’s story about Naruto?”

“Yes?”

“This is them. That is Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke and Kakashi.” 

The table stopped talking and silence reigned. 

“You know about us.” Sakura blinked. “How!?”

Kaori gave Sakura her usual cryptic smile. Sakumo sighed and drank his tea. His wife really liked theatrics and dropping information bombs inappropriately. 

“I have my means, Sakura-san.” Kaori finally answered, “Don’t you worry about it. Please eat more, we have so much.” 

The conversation on the table returned, but this time Kakashi also started to ask around. He asked Naruto first, asking about his fox, which made the older Kakashi stop eating, while his teammates looked at Naruto in curiosity. 

Sakumo sighed. It seemed Kakashi inherited his mother’s inappropriate tact. 

It was going to be a long dinner indeed. 

* * *

His father asked him for a talk. Kakashi couldn’t refuse. He had dreamt again and again to have another chance to talk with his father. Now that the man was healthy and happily sat in front of him, Kakashi couldn’t help but want to run away. 

“Kakashi.” his father called him with those kind eyes. “... How are you, son?”

Kakashi was not worthy of being his son. Sakumo was a hero, a good man. Kakashi was not. Kakashi was a bad son. 

As if it wasn’t bad enough, his mother joined them and sat on the side between them. Her hand slowly poured the tea onto three cups. “My apology for joining in. I just tucked in all the kids.”

Kakashi watched as his father smiled gently at his mother and squeezed her hand. Kakashi watched very, very closely. It was something wonderful but forbidden. He never knew how his parents acted with each other. He never knew what family was. He never saw his father’s gaze onto his mother. He never saw his mother’s smile for his father. It looked perfect. His father and mother were perfect. They were… they were  _ right _ . 

“Right. Kakashi,” his mother turned to him with a gentle smile. “... how are you, pup?”

Pup. his mother called him pup. Kakashi was already in his twenties and his mother didn’t look a year over thirty. She called him pup, like he was her precious son. 

Kakashi felt something logged into his throat. “F..fine, ...Hatake-san.”

“Please call me Kaa-chan?” She pleaded sadly. “No matter what universe, you are still my son.” 

Kakashi bit his lip. Fortunately they couldn’t see his bad habit underneath the mask. “How did you know about Naruto?” Kakashi tried to deflect instead. He was good at that. 

“Ah. I have seen you all in my dreams.” his mother smiled. “I see all of you.”

“Your mother is kind of a clairvoyant.” Sakumo chuckled. “You’ll get used to it.”

“Kakashi.” his mother called again, this time with a hand gently pulled towards him. “Let me touch you, please?”

Kakashi just nodded slightly and let his mother’s warm hand touch his cheek. He unconsciously leaned towards the hand. Her eyes shone with unshed tears, her lips smiled softly. Her hand softly caressed him. Kakashi had forgotten how nice such a simple gesture was. 

“You’ve done really well, pup.” his mother whispered. “I am proud of you.” 

“We are proud of you.” his father added, voice soft. 

Kakashi closed his eyes and hid his tears behind closed eyelids. 

“We are sorry for not being there.” she continued. 

“N..Not your fault.” Kakashi spoke, his voice a bit hoarse. He pulled from her hand. She looked sad for a moment before retracting her hand. “You were dead.” 

His father chuckled hollowly. “I am sorry, Kakashi.” 

“... Please, not now?” he asked, looking away. 

His parents looked at each other before nodding. His mother sighed and asked again, “Can I… Can I hug you, pup?”

Kakashi knew he was a coward, and he was not proud of it, so he shunshin-ed away from his seat. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part 2 of 2 : 
> 
> \- Kakashi's mental growth   
> \- Little Kakashi shennanigan   
> \- and many others.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhm... I am sorry. this is not the last chapter. it is hard to cough out the rest, so I'll update this one first.

The Memorial site was there, in the too familiar area of the Village. Kakashi stood in front of the monument and read the names despite the darkness. The names were different, and the list was shorter. There were no familiar names to him. Not his father’s name, Obito’s. Minato-sensei, Rin, Kushina-nee. The monument was the same, but it was not familiar. It was not  _ Kakashi’s  _ monument of shame. 

He couldn’t use it as a reason to mourn. In this world, everything was perfect, even  _ Kakashi  _ was perfect. He felt like he was the faulty version of his counterpart here. 

His father’s face filled his mind. His mother’s smile filled his heart. He didn’t need sharingan to remember them. Kakashi stood there for a long time, until he lost track of time. He knew it must have been hours. But in the darkness he pretended he was frozen in time, back in his reality where everyone died and he was Kakashi, the  _ friend killer _ . 

Kakashi noticed he wasn’t alone a moment later. His father’s chakra flared before his father appeared with shunshin a distance behind him. 

“...Kakashi.” his father gently called. “It’s almost time for breakfast. Your mother asked me to call you to eat. Please come with me?” 

“I don’t need it.” 

“... Can I accompany you then?”

Kakashi turned to see his father, the shadow he cashed for years. His father looked soft and a bit tired, but his kindness and his patience with Kakashi was just like how Kakashi remembered it. Sakumo always indulgently spoiled Kakashi since the last Hatake could remember. 

“Spar with me.” 

Sakumo blinked. He gathered himself before nodding. “I will if you agree to follow me for breakfast afterward.” 

Kakashi just nodded, and he flashed towards his father, sword drawn. 

Kakashi, the Sharingan no Kakashi was famous and listed as ‘Flee on Sight’ S-ranked bounty in all bingo books outside the Fire Country. Before the power of Sharingan, Kakashi himself was the last Hatake, inheriting the powerful white chakra and kenjutsu skill driven through the Hatake genetics. Added with his genius mind, he could predict almost as well as sharingan could. After Obito’s sharingan, it amplified his skill ten fold. 

When their swords clashed, Kakashi realised he was spoiled in his reality, because not many could match his kenjutsu. But all he knew about Kenjutsu, the basics of his style, was all from this man. Sakumo taught him his first kata, his first sword. Sakumo drilled the instinct into him. Sakumo was a master when Kakashi just started to lift his sword. 

Kakashi shifted and quickly aimed a kick onto his father’s head, but it was dodged and Sakumo took Kakashi’s leg and threw him. Kakashi quickly caught himself and charged again, trying to find his battle calm that made him so formidable in the field. But everytime he caught the colour of his father’s hair, flashes of blood on the tatami floor and a sword on his father’s stomach filled his mind. 

Sakumo matched his speed and his sword, hit by hit. Kakashi wasn’t putting his 100% because it was just a spar, and he knew his father did it too. But the areas around them already took the brunt, with uprooted trees, spurted earth and cracks on the memorial stones. Their spar became more like a sword dance, because neither preferred taijutsu or ninjutsu. Hatakes, by default, preferred kenjutsu. 

Kakashi knew he could win if he really wanted to kill or by playing dirty, but no. He couldn’t, in his conscience, kill his own father. His father was not an enemy. This was a spar. 

Or that was what he thought, before suddenly his father changed his style and somehow managed to catch Kakashi’s neck from behind with the end of his sword aimed at his eyes. Kakashi blinked. His father has used a second of weakness from Kakashi’s part and turned it against him. 

Sakumo whispered gently, “Do you concede?” 

Kakashi knew he lost. “I concede.” 

His father let him go. Kakashi pulled his sword too, and sheathed it back to its place on his back. Then a second later, he almost flinched when he felt his father’s hand on his hair. 

“You have grown wonderfully, son.” his father smiled gently. “You are very strong and amazing. I am very proud of you.”

“.... no thanks to you.” Kakashi spit, but he knew it could be taken wrongly. He didn’t mean it like that. Shit. Kakashi, always with his foot in his mouth, saying all the wrong things at the right time. 

His father looked sad but then chuckled like he could read Kakashi like a book. “True. I was not a good father to you, was I? I am still trying now, too. As long as I am alive, I promise I will always try to be better. But regardless of that… you have grown into a fine shinobi. I am proud to be able to call you my son.” 

“... I…” Kakashi slowly breathed to keep himself from running away again. “I… I am sorry, Dad.” 

“Why? There ‘s nothing to be sorry for.” Sakumo shrugged.

“I have everything to be sorry for.” Kakashi murmured. “You were… a great father. I was the worst kind of son. It’s not your fault, it’s mine. I disappoint you. I destroy everyone I touch.”

Sakumo looked sad and grabbed his shoulder. “Kakashi, look at me.” 

Kakashi looked ahead. He was as tall as his father now. He remembered that Sakumo in his memory was taller and bigger than life itself, up until he failed his missions and made Kakashi feel ashamed of him. But now they were of the same height. His father’s eyes were greyish just like Kakashi’s. 

“There’s nothing to forgive. You are my son, and no matter what, I’ll always love you. In every universe, in any reality. You are my son. My pride and joy. If you want to stay away until you can return to your reality, if everything fails, please just remember this: I will never stop loving and be proud of you.”

“...I am sorry, Dad.” Kakashi crumbled. “I am so sorry.” 

Sakumo gathered him in his arms. “Never, Kakashi, you never need to apologise to me.” 

Kakashi grasped his father’s back like he was four again and cried because he missed his mother. Cried because he missed Sakumo when he left for a long mission. Cried because he hurt himself while training with a sharp short sword. Cried because of nightmares. Cried for the sake of crying. 

And his father, like he always was, was ready to catch Kakashi and gathered his broken pieces. 

* * *

Sasuke watched the breakfast table with little interest. The table was chaotic at best, with Naruto leading the loud conversation by the end of the table with red-haired kunoichi and the Yondaime. Sakura was talking animatedly with the kiddies, while mini Kakashi-sensei and Obito-san quickly devoured their morning porridge to avoid being late to the training ground. Even though their teacher, the Yondaime, was still there on the same table laughing at Naruto. 

But it mattered little to Sasuke. 

Honestly? Before being transferred to this weird alternative reality, before doing the D-ranks cleaning the ghost compound, before walking towards Team Seven that morning, Sasuke was thinking of something else. 

The night before was filled with emptiness. Sasuke was just… tired. He was tired of pretending to have everything together. He was tired of trying to carry the Uchiha burden. He was tired trying to be strong. He was tired trying to chase Itachi’s shadow. He was just tired pretending to sleep while all the ghosts in the Uchiha compound gathered behind his eyelids. He was tired of having the nightmare come again and again. Before it all, he just felt… empty. 

He wanted out. 

That morning, Sasuke was seriously contemplating suicide to end it all. 

He whispered to himself, he would do it that night. He would meet his team, do his D-ranks, practice with Kakashi-sensei, pretending he was pissed at Naruto, ignoring Sakura as usual, and then he would return to the compound and drown himself in the Naka river, just like Shisui. 

Then Naruto’s explosion happened. Then this alternate reality happened. 

Sasuke almost sympathised with Kakashi-sensei. If they were thrown to the Uchiha Compound instead, Sasuke was sure he would go ballistic. Watching Kakashi-sensei’s mother made him miss his own mother. Uchiha Mikoto, the most beautiful woman in the world in Sasuke’s memory. His beloved mother. 

Then he saw Shisui. Little Shisui was full of life, happily chirping like a child. A far cry from the Shisui in his memory, where he looked gloom and troubled for the last two months of his life. Sasuke wasn’t as close to Shisui and Itachi was, and for that reason, Little Sasuke used to be jealous of Shisui for taking Itachi’s precious time. This little Shisui was completely different from the Shisui Sasuke was jealous of. This little Shisui was adorable and full of life. He wouldn’t drown himself in the Naka River. 

It made Sasuke second guess his own plan. 

“Sasuke-kun, please have some more.” a voice called him from his musings. He turned to see Kakashi-sensei’s mother, almost superimposed with his own mother’s image, putting two spring rolls on his plate. “You need to eat more, little one. Your face looked pale. Did you get enough rest?” 

The promise to make his mother proud by keeping his politeness made Sasuke respond, “Aa. Thank you, Hatake-san. I am fine, it was just unfamiliarity that kept me awake for a bit” 

The lady smiled sadly. “Can I pat your hair, little one?” 

Sasuke blinked. It was weird to get asked that. Sasuke has never met anyone who asked before patting his hair. In a sense, he appreciated the gesture, because it gave him time to prepare. 

“Yes, sure.” 

The lady smiled and patted his head. Sasuke blinked. It was surprisingly very nice. It felt familiar, like how his mother used to do. Uchiha Mikoto was the proper Clan First Lady. but behind closed doors, she was an affectionate mother. Her pats and thigh pillows were the highlights of Sasuke and Itachi’s lazy afternoon. 

“There are things better to be shared than to be buried, Sasuke-kun. Striving for perfection is an endless chase, which only tires you and ends in disappointment. Admitting that you need help is a strength in itself, which not many understand. You, my child, are strong. However, you will be stronger when you share.”

Sasuke stopped breathing. “Wha…”

“Your burden is heavy, and not all of it built on truth either. If you try to shoulder it alone, you will end up crushed under such burden. You are not alone, little one. Learn to share and see underneath the underneath. It will set you free.”

Sasuke looked away. “With all due respect, ma’am. You don’t know everything.” 

“Oh, I know enough.” the lady smiled sadly. “Enough to see how it troubles you.”

Sasuke bit his lower lips, but was surprised when suddenly he saw Shisui appeared beside him, pulling out two pieces of pink marshmallows and offering it to Sasuke. 

“Sasuke-nii chan, please cheer up.” 

Sasuke didn’t know why he started to cry. He found himself on Kakashi-sensei’s mother’s bosom, rocked gently. He clutched into the embrace, trying to keep it together. But he was breaking with no hope of ever being whole again. 

He hated this. He hated being the last Uchiha. He hated being the one who needed to chase his brother. He hated the need to be perfect as the last Uchiha. He didn’t want to go and be strong and hunt Itachi for revenge. He still couldn’t believe what Itachi did. He missed his parents. He missed his freedom. He missed his childhood. He missed his  _ nii-chan _ . 

Even after everything, he still  _ loved _ Itachi. 

When his sobs slowed down, he realised it was too silent. He gathered himself and let Hatake-san go. The room was empty, everyone had left but the kind lady. 

“How do you feel, little one?” she asked gently while wiping his face with a soft, wet paper towel. 

Sasuke didn’t answer. 

“Care to share with me?” 

“... I missed my family. And my brother.” 

The lady closed her eyes as if she was trying to decide something. In the end, she opened her eyes with determination. “Can I tell you a secret, little one?” 

Sasuke blinked, trying to stop his emotion. His head hurt. It has been a long time since he last cried.

“Your brother misses you too. He loves you very much too.”

Sasuke immediately rejected it. “You… You don’t know.” 

“I know so, my dear. And he is innocent.” 

“...What do you mean?” 

“A piece of advice for you, little one. See the underneath of the underneath. Would the gentle brother you knew do what you believe he did? Seek the truth, Sasuke-kun. And ask for help. You are not alone, my dear.” 

Sasuke didn’t know what to respond to it with. She smiled. 

“Death is final. Life is precious. Don’t let it be a regret.”

  
  


* * *

Gloomy, his house was too gloomy! 

Kakashi pouted. Ever since the guests from the different universe came, the house has turned into a gloomy place! Especially the big him. He was mopey around the table, making Kaa-chan and Tou-chan solemn, watching what they said all the time. 

He also observed the man closely. He was, essentially, how Kakashi would turn up when he was old (ugh, twenty nine years old. ugh). The Big him was obviously a jounin sensei, ex-ANBU, with considerable chakra coils and well trained physique. He was physically not bad but mentally left a lot to be desired. The man was a gloomy and negative and scaredy cat. Kakashi didn’t want to be like that. Kaa-chan would be very disappointed in him if he turned like that. 

Obito elbowed him. “Bakashi, pay attention!” 

Kakashi sighed. “You wrote the details on the wrong box.” 

“Ah? Really?” Obito quickly turned back to the D-rank report for their team. The D-rank was boring, and since Kakashi and Rin did most of it, Obito got the paperwork duty. Kakashi was bored. He wanted to quickly become a Jounin like Tou-chan, then he would be strong enough to protect Kaa-chan, Tenzou and Tamago-chan. 

Mi-kun-sensei chuckled. "Alright, boys. Let's wrap up. It’s my turn making dinner tonight.” 

Obito turned to Rin. “Come to our place tonight! Minato-sensei’s cooking is good, you see!” 

Kakashi ignored Obito’s silly attempt to impress Rin. It irked him a bit, but it was below him to show his annoyance. Now he would focus on cheering up his family. 

That night, the guests from the alternate world had their beds covered with Urushi’s shedding (Mi-kun-sensei included). 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next on my notes (may change):   
> \- chibi kakashi vs naruto prank war (may or may not written.)   
> \- big Kakashi sleeping like a dog on his mother's lap, beside his little sister   
> \- Naruto's moments with his parent (I want to write this sooooo much)   
> \- a way to go back (and a teary one). the end (supposedly) 
> 
> I promise nothing, lol.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fluff! All the fluff. and the real end of the canon-saga.

Sakumo opened the door to his home with the bigger-from-alternative-dimention son in tow. Sakumo knew the Big-Kakashi was feeling embarrassed from crying in front of him. So he let his Big-son reel while moving behind him throughout their way back home. Sakumo would sign to Kaori to ignore the red eyes--the poor boy (even though the Big-Kakashi was almost at the same age as Sakumo, he was still Sakumo’s pup) has enough heart to heart for a day. Sakumo knew how intense his wife could be, once she smelled the need for a hug. 

The house was emptier than usual -- the kids must have gone to the Academy or training, he mused. He opened his sandal and quietly called for his wife. Kaori’s slight footsteps were heard and she smiled at him, with little Tamago-chan in her arms. 

Sakumo knew he was very blessed. Kaori’s smile and Tamago’s cute gurgle were a miracle. In another world, the world where Big-Kakashi came from, he wasn’t that fortunate to still have a smiling wife, a bratty son and a lovely daughter. In Big-Kakashi’s world, it semeed Kaori died in childbirth and Sakumo comitted suicide, leaving his son to be a cold-blooded-emotionally stunted-barely human- jounin. 

Listening about it from his wife was hard. Letting his son fall apart and watching him sobbed his heart out were even harder. Sakumo swallowed his guilt and did the best he could, hugging his son as tight as he could. 

“Welcome back home,” She greeted softly with a smile and a peck on his lips. Then she turned to Big-Kakashi. “You two looked like you had a good spar. Go wash yourself first, the mid-morning meal is going to be ready in fifteen minutes.” 

Surrendering to his wife’s authority in the house, Sakumo was going to show Kakashi where the bathroom was, but stopped in time to realise of course the Big-Kakashi knew, he was a Hatake, afterall. And this was their home. So he just got two towels and gave one to Kakashi. 

Sakumo took for a longer soak, because he needed to think. He was glad he had the moment with Big-Kakashi. He was proud of the man his pup would become, but he was also guilty of how broken his pup could have been. Sakumo was a great team leader in the field, bringing his teams to safety across missions. But for the matter of heart and his own family, he seemed to be at loss. Sakumo knew Kaori would huff and tell him to stop overthinking, and focused on the now. Yeah, Sakumo could do that. 

When he emerged from the bathroom, warm and clean, Sakumo couldn’t help but feel fond over what he saw. 

Kaori was busy in the kitchen, slicing and cooking something that smelled delicious on the pot. It was normal for her and Sakumo appreciated her cooking very much. But the most amusing one was to see (clean, already bathe, wearing Sakumo’s clothes) Big-Kakashi having a crisis while holding his little sister. 

Tamago-chan looked up to the bigger version of her brother, eyes large and unblinking, watching closely. Big-Kakashi looked like he was holding a time bomb, closing his eyes as if she would turn him into stone if he saw her eyes. They were sitting on the sofa, with Tamago facing Kakashi, sitting upright on Kakashi’s thighs, supported by his grip on her body. 

“Gah!” The little infant screamed. “Shi!”

Kaori answered absent-mindedly from where she was stirring the pot, “Yes, it’s big Kakashi-nii chan, Tamago. Say hi!”

“Giii!” She squealed and laughed. 

Kakashi dared to open his only exposed eye. Tamago-chan saw it and squealed louder, spit flowing everywhere. Kakashi winced. Sakumo barked a laugh. 

Kakashi turned to him with a betrayed look. That one eye was really expressive. 

“Give your big brother a kiss!” Kaori continued, as if she didn’t know Kakashi’s betrayed look. “Your nii chan wants a kiss from Tamago!”

Tamago huffed and nodded (Sakumo was amazed and proud of how smart his daughter was. She seemed to follow her brother’s footsteps as a genius. Sakumo’s sperm was really superior after all), then moving her hands. “Gaa! Shi!” 

Kaori looked back and saw how far Kakashi was holding Tamago away from him, so she chuckled. “Kakashi, hold her closer please. Don’t let her hanging.” 

“Uh...uhn.” Big-Kakashi nodded awkwardly and slowly let her close. Tamago forcefully pushed herself towards Kakashi, and when she was close enough, she planted a wet kiss on his nose. 

Kakashi’s eye widened. 

Sakumo laughed and came over, ready to take Tamago from poor Kakashi. But lo and behold, Kakashi actually pulled her from Sakumo’s offering hands. 

“No… I’ll hold her. For a bit.” he gruffed in embarrassment, while letting Tamago play with his face. Sakumo just fondly smiled and went to help his wife. Kaori welcomed him with a smile. 

“Sic Tamago at him already?” he grinned as he received the hot pot from his wife. 

Kaori winked cutely. “I have my own way, darling.” 

He laughed and kissed her forehead. 

* * *

His father left for work, and Kakashi was left with little Tamago and his mother. 

The silence was awkward. Kakashi hid his face behind Tamago’s chan tummy. His little sister gurgled and drooled over his hair, much to Kakashi’s chagrin, but it didn’t deter him from having her close. He had never hold a baby before, not for any mission. He was the Friend-Killer, the ANBU assassin captain, so he got no mission concerning children below two years old, ever. 

Even Sandaime-sama didn’t want to tempt fate by releasing Kakashi to little children. 

His mother was dragging the huge laundry basket, so Kakashi immediately moved to help. She smiled in thanks, and asked him to drag it into the living room. They ended up sitting on the floor together, his mother folding clothes while Kakashi played with (or just generally nodded when his sister said something intelligible) Tamago.

The afternoon was calm and filled with a warm afternoon breeze. Tamago slowly fell into sleep, then finally dropped on Kakashi’s shoulder. Kakashi wondered what to do now, and his mother helped him by letting Tamago sleep on the blankie and little pillows on it. Kakashi watched them closely, feeling very, very peaceful. Making him felt a bit sleepy. 

“Sleep.” his mother gently said. “I’ll watch over you.” 

Kakashi blushing from embarrassment. He didn’t need much sleep after all. “No, I am fine.” 

“Indulge me, pup.” the woman (His  _ mother _ !  _ His _ mother!  _ His mother! _ ) “Come. you can sleep here, with Tamago-chan.” 

His body moved by his own, slowly laying down around them. His little sister’s chest went up and down, breathing. Kakashi marvelled at his little sister. She was a marvel for him. Kakashi never knew he could have a sister, a real Hatake Blood real sister. 

He closed his eyes and enjoyed the wonder. 

When he woke up, he was under a dog pile. The children were around them, sleeping as well. The little Tenzou, little Uchiha Shisui, little Obito (and Kakashi wanted to hit himself again), and the little him were sleeping all around him. His mother was sitting beside him while writing on some papers. Kakashi remembered his father telling him that his mother was an author. 

His mother also had her non dominant hand on his hair, slowly patting through his fluff of silver hair. 

“...hnn? Are you awake?” She asked softly. “The little ones are still sleeping.”

Kakashi kept his silence, enjoying his mother’s hand. It felt warm. Safe. comfortable. As if he was home. With family. He was not drifting alone anymore. Maybe this was a dream. Maybe he could be honest here. 

“...They called me the friend-killer.” he whispered. 

“Hmmm.” His mother just hummed. 

“I killed you. I killed Tou-chan. I killed Obito. I killed Rin. I killed Sensei. I killed Kushina-nee.” 

His mother kept her silence. 

“... I am exhausted.” Kakashi whispered hoarsely. “... _ kaa-san. _ ” 

The hand kept patting his hair. Kakashi let himself cry a bit, again. He was raw from crying that morning, but it seemed once he cried, the tears easily came. 

“Kakashi.” his mother spoke gently. Too gently, making him sob. “My pup.” 

Kakashi was almost-ashamed to admit he snuggled closer to his mother’s side. 

“You didn’t kill me. I love you so much I am willing to surrender my life for you. It was a gift, Kakashi. A gift from me to you. Please stop blaming yourself for it.” 

Kakashi wanted to argue, but his throat was dry. 

“Your father’s death was premeditated by the broken society in your reality. It wasn’t, and  _ never _ , your fault. Rin’s death was her choice as well and you did what you had to do. Minato and Kushina-chan’s death were because of Zetsu, so it was never your fault. But again, I can give you all the reasonings in the world, but you will still find a way to blame yourself for it. In the end, you are the one who can live your life. Instead of looking back and blaming yourself, isn’t it better to start living as you want?”

Kakashi felt his mother pinching his earlobes gently, as if chiding a little naughty boy. And then she patted his cheek.

“Sakumo and I will always support you, pup. You are our pride and joy, afterall. I know the world isn’t fair, baby. I know you are tired. But as long as you live, you can always try to make it better. And you have three little genins to look over. They have potential, but more importantly, they need your guidance.” 

Kakashi let his mother rub his temple. It was very soothing. “... What is better? What if I cannot be better?”

Suddenly another hand touched his hair, making Kakashi almost jump. Then he realised it was the little him, patting his hair, imitating their mother. It was their first real interaction. 

“There, there. Listen to Kaa-chan. She knows everything. If she tells you that you can do it, that means you can.”

Their mother chuckled and thanked the little him. Kakashi was a bit mortified. But well, he couldn’t help but listen to little Kakashi. He was him, afterall. 

* * *

“Sssh!” Kushina-nee shushed him and Naruto nodded, following her order. 

They were behind the wall, looking towards the main street where Little sensei was walking with Minato-nii. They were doing the D-ranks. It was funny to see that Kakashi-sensei used to do D-ranks too! 

Naruto gripped the itching powder bottle in his hand tightly. They were trying to get back at Little sensei for pranking them. The dog hair bed was funny, if a bit itchy to sleep on. The smell was bad though, and it was amusing to see Little sensei getting chewed by Kaori-baa san and the dorm keeper for adding to their jobs. 

But a prank was a prank, and it demanded payback. 

Kushina-nee smirked and patted Naruto’s hair. “Right. Once I give you the cue, you drop the whole bottle on him, alright? Be vigilant… that little brat is a hard one to catch. Use your Kage-bushing to keep him on the spot, alright?”

“Yes, nee-chan!” 

* * *

Unfortunately Little-Kakashi was one hell of a slimy brat. He immediately kawarimi-ed away and used a simple wind jutsu, scattering the itching powder towards the masses. 

Danzo-sama called them afterward and gave them the punishment of cleaning the outer wall of Konoha, by hand. An ANBU would be supervising them. 

Kushina-nee grumbled while Minato-nii looked gloomy, stuttering about how he was ashamed. Little-sensei tried to shy away from the task, but the ANBU kept bringing him back. Naruto just enjoyed the punishment with a grin on his face, because it was more fun being punished with someone else. 

Obito came over in the afternoon, munching onigiri made by Kaori-baa san, with Sakura in tow. They brought the message from Kaori-baa san, stating that if the brats haven’t finished it properly by dinner time, they will have to eat plain rice with green tea only for dinner. Obito-nii also gladly told them that they were going to eat sweet and sour pork that night. Sakura added fuel to fire by telling them that the dessert was sweet dango with red bean soup. 

Kushina-nee looked horrified and increased her scrubbing speed. Minato-nii also did the same, crying about it was his ‘favourite’ food. Little-sensei huffed and reminded him that Kaori-baa san’s cookings were his ‘favourite’. Sakura giggled into her hands, and when Naruto asked why she was giggling, she said it was very funny to see  _ Yondaime-sama  _ being punished to clean Konoha’s wall. Naruto realised it was very funny indeed and laughed alongside her. 

Minato-nii looked even mortified and ended up using his amazing wind jutsu to clean the whole wall. The ANBU said that they were cheating, so Danzo-sama might need to assign another punishment for them tomorrow. Obito crackled with glee, and Little-sensei swiped his leg, making the laughing boy fall onto his face. 

Their fight kind of ruined a patch of the wall. 

It kind of has a hole in the shape of a person now. 

* * *

Danzo-sama seemed to be at loss when the ANBU reported how they ‘cheated’ their punishment and created a human-shaped hole on the wall. He sighed and called for Sakumo-jii san. 

“Your brats. Please.” the Hokage sighed as he waved his hand at them. His words were short and curt, as if he couldn’t even form a coherent sentence for them anymore. 

Sakumo-jii san looked embarrassed and bowed in apology. 

Naruto felt a bit of guilt filled his chest, and he saw that Kushina-nee has the same feeling too. They immediately promised to fix the wall with their own money, immediately. 

Sakumo-jii san’s proud smile at them made Naruto’s chest filled with happiness he could cry. 

* * *

Dinner was lively, especially after Minato-nii sobs of relief because Kaori-baa san let them eat the really delicious pork and also dango. Naruto ate happily, feeling like he was in cloud nine. It was warm, fun and happy. He even noticed how Sasuke seemed happier that night, although his eyes were swollen from crying. 

Kinoe-chan and Shisui-chan decided Naruto was the fun target for dango stealing though, so Naruto stopped reminiscing and guarded his dango bowl zealously. 

* * *

Alas, three days later, it was time for them to go back to their own reality. 

Naruto’s chest felt heavy as he stood before the huge seal on the ground, courtesy of Kushina-nee and Minato-nii. Everyone was there, standing before the seal. Naruto looked around and saw that everyone was kind of solemn. Nobody was laughing. 

Sakura was the only one who looked sort of happy and sad, because she would be back with her family soon. Sasuke brooded even more than usual, hand tightly holding Shisui-chan's. Kakashi-sensei still has Tamago-chan on his arms, refusing to let her go. The little infant softly gurgled while playing with Kakashi-sensei’s finger. 

Sakumo-jii san and Kaori-baa san were standing close with each other, his arms around her for support. She looked like she wanted to cry. Naruto felt the same. Kinoe-chan was standing beside his mother, holding onto her hand. Little-sensei stood beside his father, stiff and pretending to look bored. 

Kushina-nee and Minato-nii weren’t smiling, looking sad and serious as they showed the seal. 

“... This is it.” Kushina-nee said sadly. “The seal is done, you just need to stand in the middle and we will activate this seal. You will be transported back to your dimension.”

Naruto watched her and felt the longing. He didn’t want to leave, to be honest. He didn’t want to return to the cold, small, dark cheap apartment of his. He didn’t want to go back to where he was scorned and has no family to speak of. He didn’t want to be the joker again, he didn’t want to be the stupid member of the team. He didn’t want to go back to ‘that’ Konoha. 

He wanted to stay here, forever. 

“We need to go, Naruto.” Suddenly Kakashi-sense spoke. “The longer we stay here, the more unstable this dimension would be.”

Naruto wondered if Kakashi-sensei actually said it for himself. He looked like he didn’t want to let his sister go. Maybe it was the same reasoning that he used to force himself to go back too. Naruto looked at Sasuke, and the (last) Uchiha was watching Naruto with dark, sad eyes. 

Oh. Sasuke felt the same too. 

“It’s nicer here, though.” Naruto mumbled. 

“It’s not a goodbye.” Suddenly, Kaori-baa san said out loud. She came towards them. “It’s not a goodbye, dears. We will always remember you and you will remember us. We can always remember each other and please know that you are our family too.” 

She rubbed Naruto’s head and planted a gentle kiss. Naruto didn’t dare to breathe. 

She did the same with Sakura and Sasuke. Sakura cried a bit, but quickly wiped her tears. Sasuke just looked away. 

Then Kaori-baa san did the same with Kakashi-sensei too. Kakashi-sensei let her hugged him close for a long moment, Tamago-chan between them. When they released each other, Kaori-baa san was holding Tamago chan. 

“I love you and I am proud of you, Kakashi. No matter what.” 

Then it became a hug fest, everyone seemed to be hugging Naruto, Sakura or Sasuke. 

Naruto also saw the awkward conversation between Kakashi-sensei and Little-sensei,but he was too busy with his own goodbyes to listen in.

When it was time for them to be transported, Naruto felt a hand on his head. He looked up to see Kushina-nee crying, but smiling at him. “You are the best son ever, dattebane. I love you, dearly.” 

Minato-nii also put a hand on his shoulder. “Believe in yourself, Naruto. You are the best of us. I am also proud to have you as my son.” 

Naruto’s eyes widened. “...Kaa-san? Tou-san?”

They waved as the seal activated and Naruto couldn’t even say his last goodbye when they disappeared. Naruto found himself on the ground, but this time the garden around him was unkempt and the house was collapsing from old age and disuse. 

“.... Was that real?” Sakura was the one who asked. 

But Naruto didn’t care and curled into himself, sobbing. He met his parents and it was so sweet. 

Too bad he couldn’t hug them for the last time. 

* * *

Naruto looked at the clock. It was ten in the morning. He didn’t move from underneath his futon. They were supposed to have a team meeting as usual. Kakashi-sensei would be late like usual. Sakura would be there, nagging Naruto for being late as usual. Sasuke would be brooding and ignoring him as usual. 

But that morning, Naruto didn’t feel like caring anymore. So he stayed in his futon and cried. 

He had a good dream about dimension-traveling to a place that is almost like heaven; where he has his parents, he has a warm family, he was having fun, and he was loved. He didn’t need to withstand cruel words from strangers on the street, he didn’t need to buy and cook his own food, he didn’t need to fight to get basic human rights. He was happy there. 

And now, waking up from a fitful night, waking up to the moldy ceiling and alone in the small apartment made him lose his will to fight. He could just sleep in, hiding underneath his futon forever. 

“Naruto.” 

The boy shrugged his blanket and saw Kakashi-sensei by the window. 

“... m sick.” Naruto said out loud and hid underneath his blanket again. 

“No you are not.” suddenly another voice called out and Naruto turned his head to see Sakura and Sasuke inside his small apartment. The door was wide open, and the last person entered. Iruka-sensei was carrying a bag of groceries. 

“Wh..what…” Naruto stuttered, wondering what was happening. Was he dreaming again? He pinched himself and found it was painful. So he wasn’t dreaming. 

“Kakashi told me what happened to all of you. The four of you went missing for a day, but now you are back.” Iruka-sensei explained as he went to organize the food onto the kitchen table. “I think we all deserve a relaxing day before continuing tomorrow. So I asked all of them to come to your place for a meal together, is that alright?” 

Naruto just watched the three people in his kitchen. Suddenly the room felt so cramped. Sasuke kicked him out of the futon, ordering him to get a bath because he stink. Naruto hissed in annoyance, but quickly followed the order, because Iruka-sensei looked at him with  _ those _ eyes. Kakashi-sensei sat on the side while Sakura helped roll up the futon to create more space. 

They ate the hot pot together, mostly Iruka-sensei and Sakura talking. Sakura was telling Iruka-sensei about the other world, about Kakashi-sensei’s parents, about little Shisui and Kinoe, about kind Kushina-nee and crybaby Minato-sama. Naruto winced because they were talking about the parents he never knew. And then they talked about little Kakashi sensei and Obito too. Also about Danzo-sama as the Yondaime. 

Suddenly kakashi sensei added into the conversation, putting a seal paper with a very complicated seal on it. 

“Iruka-sensei,” he asked. “Please tell me what you can see on this seal.” 

Iruka-sensei took the paper and peered closely. He looked surprised and became excited. 

“This is amazing!” 

Kakashi-sensei shrugged. “Do you think it will work?” 

“What’s that, sensei?” Sakura asked. 

Kakashi-sensei’s eye was smiling. “I remembered the seal with my sharingan. With a tweak, we can always visit them again.” 

Naruto’s eyes bulged and he almost jumped. “REALLY, DATTEBAYO?”

Iruka-sensei confirmed it but noted how it might need a bit more tweak so that it could be a door between reality without needing any other factors. Naruto was very excited about it, and he vowed to learn more about seals so that he could visit them again. 

(Little that they knew, it became a catalyst for a better (cannon) future. Naruto became a seal master with his instinct and talent from his father; they managed to create the seal like a door that can be opened every year. Naruto spent time with his parents and learned their amazing ninja arts as well as becoming a stronger, more wholesome person. With exposure to Shisui, and with Kaori-san tutelage on meditation, Sasuke became calmer and realised that Itachi’s action didn’t make sense. He stopped planning for vengeance and focused on his team instead. Sakura was exposed to Kushina-nee and Kaori-baa san, then decided that she could be a great kunoichi ANBU. Kakashi, exposed to his father’s wisdom, his mother’s love and his little sister’s cuteness (also his little self brattiness) felt better and stronger. Iruka was also invited, and smothered with Kaori’s brand of love. He also learned about Uzumaki sealing from Kushina and became one of the best seal masters in Konoha. 

Oh and they were very, very surprised to learn that Orochimaru was an amazing cook. Or an amazing person in general (Orochimaru was on a long mission the first time they accidentally went dimension-travel). 

And lastly, Kaori told Kakashi about how Obito was still alive by casually bringing it up when they were having a light drinking session at night (all kids asleep, and only Sakumo, Kaori, Big-Kakashi, and Iruka were awake).

But that was for another story). 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I missed this story and also all of you, wonderful reader! Thank you so much for reading, kudos, comments and bookmarks. I feel very appreciated and I want to thank you for it. Thank you!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> Wish me luck, I have interview tomorrow hahaha. Hopefully this time, I get a positive result.


End file.
